Whisky From Japan

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What Japanese whisky actually costs in Japan

Every guide to Japanese whisky is written from outside Japan. This one is not. We list the price a bottle actually sells for on a Japanese shelf, how hard it is to get hold of here, and whether it meets the Japanese whisky standard — which a surprising number of famous bottles do not.

1× 2× 4× 6× 8× ¥1k ¥3k ¥10k ¥30k ¥100k same price as Japan Suntory Kakubin — ¥1,500, 8.5× abroadFuji Sanroku — ¥1,800, 6.1× abroadNikka Days — ¥2,500, 2.2× abroadSuntory Toki — ¥3,200, 1.2× abroadNikka From The Barrel — ¥3,300, 3.6× abroadNikka Coffey Grain — ¥5,000, 1.8× abroadSuntory Ao — ¥5,000, 2.2× abroadHakushu Distiller's Reserve — ¥5,500, 5.6× abroadNikka Coffey Malt — ¥5,500, 2.0× abroadNikka Miyagikyo Single Malt — ¥5,500, 2.5× abroadNikka Yoichi Single Malt — ¥5,500, 2.5× abroadTaketsuru Pure Malt — ¥7,000, 2.1× abroadMars Komagatake Single Malt — ¥8,000, 3.0× abroadHibiki Japanese Harmony — ¥11,000, 1.2× abroadYamazaki Distiller's Reserve — ¥11,000, 1.4× abroadHakushu 12 Year Old — ¥14,800, 2.0× abroadKanosuke Single Malt — ¥15,000, 0.9× abroadYamazaki 12 Year Old — ¥16,800, 1.6× abroadHakushu 18 Year Old — ¥48,000, 2.5× abroadHibiki 17 Year Old — ¥55,000, 2.7× abroadYamazaki 18 Year Old — ¥55,000, 2.1× abroadHibiki 21 Year Old — ¥120,000, 1.2× abroad Japanese shelf price (log scale)
22 bottles. Colour is producing region. Dots above the line cost more abroad; anything below costs less. Hover or tap a dot for the bottle.

The full Japan-versus-abroad table →

Start here: bottles you can simply buy

The single most useful thing we can tell you is which bottles are ordinary stock in Japan. These are not allocated, not lottery-only, and not marked up to collector prices. If you are visiting, these are the ones worth space in your luggage.

Suntory Torys Classic

サントリー トリス クラシック

Suntory · Blended · 37%

On the shelf Not declared

¥900

Black Nikka Clear

ブラックニッカ クリア

Nikka Whisky · Blended · 37%

On the shelf Not declared

¥1,000

Suntory Kakubin

サントリー 角瓶

Suntory · Blended · 40%

On the shelf Meets the JSLMA standard

¥1,500

8.5× abroad

Fuji Sanroku

富士山麓

Fuji Gotemba Distillery · Blended · 50%

On the shelf Meets the JSLMA standard

¥1,800

6.1× abroad

Mars Iwai

マルス岩井

Mars Shinshu Distillery · Blended · 40%

On the shelf Not declared

¥1,800

Nikka Days

ニッカ セッション デイズ

Nikka Whisky · Blended · 40%

On the shelf Not declared

¥2,500

2.2× abroad

Suntory Toki

サントリー 季 (トキ)

Suntory · Blended · 43%

On the shelf Meets the JSLMA standard

¥3,200

1.2× abroad

Nikka From The Barrel

ニッカ フロム・ザ・バレル

Nikka Whisky · Blended · 51.4%

On the shelf Does not meet the standard

¥3,300

3.6× abroad

Mars Lucky Cat

マルス ラッキーキャット

Mars · Blended Malt · 42%

On the shelf Not declared

¥4,200

Nikka Coffey Grain

ニッカ カフェグレーン

Miyagikyo Distillery · Grain · 45%

On the shelf Meets the JSLMA standard

¥5,000

1.8× abroad

Suntory Ao

サントリー 碧 Ao

Suntory · World Blend · 43%

On the shelf Does not meet the standard

¥5,000

2.2× abroad

Nikka Coffey Malt

ニッカ カフェモルト

Miyagikyo Distillery · Single Malt · 45%

On the shelf Does not meet the standard

¥5,500

2.0× abroad

Nikka Miyagikyo Single Malt

宮城峡

Miyagikyo Distillery · Single Malt · 45%

On the shelf Meets the JSLMA standard

¥5,500

2.5× abroad

Nikka Yoichi Single Malt

余市

Yoichi Distillery · Single Malt · 45%

On the shelf Meets the JSLMA standard

¥5,500

2.5× abroad

How hard is it really to buy?

“Rare” means something specific here. A bottle sold by application lottery is not merely scarce — you cannot walk into a shop and buy one even if you live in Osaka. Overseas listings rarely make that distinction.

On the shelf Stocked by ordinary Japanese liquor shops and supermarkets at list price.
14 bottles listed
Allocated Shops receive limited quantities. Sells out, but turns up if you look.
9 bottles listed
Lottery only Sold by application lottery (抽選). You cannot simply walk in and buy one, even in Japan.
3 bottles listed
Secondary market only No longer distributed. Available only through auction and resale.
3 bottles listed
Discontinued Production has ended. Remaining stock only.
1 bottle listed

See every bottle grouped this way →